Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet – a joyous glimpse inside the mind of a Muslim boy

A flying dragon, a new friend, a classroom bully, a lost-and-found adventure including being chased by a zombie (or maybe not)… In part, this story tells of events that any youngster moved to a new home and school might encounter (taking the “dragon” as a particularly thrilling sort of imaginary friend, and the “zombie” a misreading of a stranger’s good intentions).

Planet Omar: Accidental Trouble Magnet is the first in a series of five humorous illustrated books about eight-year-old Omar. What sets him and his family apart from classmates and neighbours, though, is not just their newness to the area, it’s also their identity as practising Muslims (the title of the book’s first iteration was The Muslims).

Zanib Mian’s story narrates events from Omar’s quirky perspective. He is happy to explain his religious practices to teacher and interested best friend Charlie (not always entirely accurately; his anticipation of a fast car in reward for prayer and fasting is questionable). Omar is baffled, however, by bully Daniel’s description of his mother in a hijab as “letter box” and “bank robber” (in the book, “a witch”), and frightened by his declaration that Omar will be “sent home” to a country he has never seen.

Playwright Asif Khan transposes the book clearly, following Omar between happy home and less-happy school, via his London (mis)adventure to a satisfying conclusion: prejudices addressed and transposed through kindness into mutual understanding.

The text’s zinging typography and drawings, by illustrator Nasaya Mafaridik, are brought to sharply coloured onstage life by designer Nikki Charlesworth, with enchanting puppets and bold, space-changing mobile grids, while the action is given added aural brightness by Helen Skiera’s pop-crackling music and sound.

There are jolly performances from the six-strong cast, directed by Sameena Hussain, with special mentions to Justin Kendal-Sadiq – wide-eyed and winning in the title role – and to Izzy Coward, showing finesse as Charlie and as puppeteer of Omar’s annoying but hilarious kid brother, Esa.

Planet Omar transfers to the Unicorn theatre, London, 21 May-7 June; and Birmingham Rep, 17-21 June

Photograph by Robling Pix